Rapper Cardi B has testified in court, saying she did not attack a security guard who is now suing her for assault.
Security Guard Emani Ellis claimed the 'Bodak Yellow' rapper had cut her cheek with a two to three inch fingernail and spat on her during a 2018 altercation outside an obstetrician’s office in Los Angeles. According to Ellis, the run in with Cardi B – whose real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar – has left her ‘deeply traumatised'.
With the £19 million lawsuit now unfolding, here’s everything we know so far about Cardi B’s assault trial.
What is Cardi B in court for?
Ellis sued Cardi B in 2020 for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She also alleged that Cardi B used her celebrity status to get her fired from her security job – however, Ellis’s team have revealed they will drop the latter allegation.
Taking to the stand earlier this week at an Alhambra, California courtroom, Cardi B recalled arriving at a Beverly Hills medical building for a doctor’s appointment in 2018 while pregnant with her first child – something she had not yet revealed to the public. She testified that upon leaving an elevator, Ellis began filming her on a phone and following her against her will. A 'verbal alteration' then took place, with the rapper denying anything physical unfolded.
What has Ellis said about Cardi B?
Ellis - who is seeking $24million (£17million) from the rapper - told jurors that she had said the Grammy-winning musician's name out of excitement upon seeing her, but did not film her or inform anyone that she was there. According to Ellis, Cardi B accused her of trying to spread news about her being at the doctor’s, going on to insult and threaten her. She then reportedly spat on Ellis, before attacking and scratching her with her long fake nails.
Ellis alleged that she was simply doing her job greeting the rapper at the building, explaining, ‘After she heard me say her name, she turned back around, and the first thing out her mouth was, excuse my language, “Why the [expletive] are you telling people that you seen me?”’
‘She was like, “[Expletive] you, you fat-ass [expletive], I’m gonna get you fired, [racial slur], that’s why you do security.’
A plastic surgeon testified that he had indeed treated Ellis back in 2022 for a ‘hyper-sensitive’ scar on her cheek, ‘most likely’ caused by fingernails.
What has Cardi B said about Ellis?
The 'I Like It' rapper told jurors that when she stepped out of an elevator, Ellis – who was working as a security guard in the building at the time – told someone on the phone that she was there, before following her down a hallway. After Ellis appeared to record on her phone and refused to ‘back up’, an altercation ensued.
Cardi B’s legal team argued the star had ‘feared for her unborn baby'. They also accused Ellis of having ‘changed your story', questioning why the former security guard chose to file her suit two years later, and didn't take pictures of her initial injuries.
Taking to the stand, the rapper - who shares daughters Kulture, six, and Blossom, 11 months, and son Wave, three, with her estranged ex Offset - described feeling nervous and concerned during the encounter. With a height of just 5'3, she said she was approximately ‘130 pounds and pregnant’ at the time, with Ellis appearing significantly larger.
Cardi B admitted shouting an obscenity at Ellis, using the word ‘bitch'. However, while she said they were ‘screaming at each other’, Cardi B denied any assault took place.
‘I didn’t touch her. It was like a verbal fight, but it didn’t get physical at all,’ Cardi B shared, adding, ‘I didn’t hit her. She didn’t hit me. There was no touch, So to me, there was no incident.’
The entire confrontation was said to last around 40 to 50 seconds before a receptionist intervened. Shortly after, Cardi B's doctor emerged from his office, and the star went into her appointment.
When asked about the physical evidence, Cardi B explained that she was wearing rounded, ‘opal’ shaped acrylic nails with rhinestones, emphasising that they were not sharp. She testified that she saw no cuts or scrapes on Ellis’s face during the incident, and that none of her fingernails were damaged or broken afterwards.
Cardi B also noted that no video footage of the incident had been found, with her legal team checking for any available security cameras in the medical building.
At another point, the line of questioning shifted as the Ellis's lawyer asked Cardi B whether her hair was real - with the star laughing, ‘They’re wigs.' The lawyer then went on to ask if she had any gang affiliation, with her legal team immediately objecting. In April, Cardi B’s legal team had argued to exclude references to her past, including alleged gang associations, stripping history, and drug-related claims. They noted that such details risked prejudicing the jury by portraying the rapper as a ‘bad person,’ rather than focusing on the evidence at hand.
Is Cardi B being sued for throwing a microphone?
Her ongoing assault trial isn’t the only legal trouble Cardi B is facing right now. The star is also being sued for assault, battery, and negligence by another woman, referred to as Jane Doe, whom she struck with a microphone while performing in Las Vegas over two years ago.
In a clip that went viral, Cardi B was reportedly seen asking the audience to cool her down at the Drai’s Beachclub show by throwing water at her. While many people complied, the rapper allegedly grew angry after Jane Doe threw water at her face, retaliating by throwing the microphone at her. Jane Doe also stated that the auction of the microphone for $99,000 caused her further severe mental distress. As of yet, Cardi B’s reps are yet to comment on the incident.
Charlotte Roberts is a news and entertainment writer at Grazia UK. She spends her days covering everything celebrity, culture, and entertainment.